Description: This bivalve has a brittle, broadly oval-shaped shell with a slight right twist to one side. It reaches just over 2.5 cm and the right valve is slightly more convex than the left. Colour ranges from a dirty white to yellow, with radiating rays of pink. These rays widen towards the shell margin and may be broken or even merge. Very rarely they may be completely white. The periostracum in this species is faint and coloured red to brown. Growth stages are clear and there are evenly spaced concentric ridges on the outer shell surface. Both valves have 2 cardinal teeth, posterior is bifid on right, anterior on left. Right valve has 1 posterior lateral tooth, left valve has 1 posterior and 1 anterior, although these are weak. The interior of the shell is a pearly white, sometimes with tints of red or yellow, with the external rays visible.

Habitat: Coarse sand and shelly gravel down to around 50 m.

Distribution: Found around most coasts of Britain and Ireland.

Similar Species: Unlikely to be confused with other species.

Key Identification Features:

• Oval-shaped shell with slight twist at one side.
• Right valve more convex than left.
• White to yellow with pink rays.
• 2 cardinal teeth in each valve, posterior bifid in right, anterior in left.
• Pearly white interior with external rays visible.

Distribution Map from NBN: Moerella donacina at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Moerella donacina at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Moerella donacina

WoRMS: Moerella donacina at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Moerella donacina (Linnaeus, 1758). AphiaID: 147021.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Mollusca; Bivalvia; Autobranchia; Heteroconchia; Euheterodonta; Imparidentia; Cardiida; Tellinoidea; Tellinidae; Moerellinae; Moerella